The Journal of the New Zealand Antarctic Society Vol 19, No. 2, 2001 No Turning Back • Rothera Fire • Kayaking the Antarctic • Summer Tours • 2003 Solar Eclipse • Tangan Expedition!

Antarctic

COVER PICTURE CONTENTS

Kayaking in Antarctica SCAR Symposium Rothera Fire Plans to Locate Endurance Solar Eclipse in 2003

Cover photograph: New Zealand kayakers in the Letter to the Editor Antarctic Peninsula north of Enterprise Island. Photo: Graham Charles. The story of last season's Terrorist Attacks Affect Antarctic Planning epic trip is summarised in Antarctic, Vol. 18, no. 3 & 4, p. 58. More photographs opposite. Adventure Tourism Volume 19, No. 2, 2001 No Turning Back - Colin Monteath Issue No. 177 ANTARCTIC is published quarterly by the Over My Shoulder - Dogs on Ice New Zealand Antarctic Society Inc., ISSN 0003-5327. Please address all editorial enquiries to The Editor, NZ Antarctic Society, PO Box 404, Christchurch, or Review - A First Rate Tragedy email: [email protected]. Printed by Herald Communications, 52 Bank Street, Timaru, New Zealand. Review - Antarctica Unveiled Tribute - W. Frank Ponder Science - Tangaroa Explores Ross Sea Science - First Foucault Pendulum at Pole Antarctic Rubbish

Volome 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic NEWS Seals, Subglacial Lakes and Ultra-violet Radiation Highlights of the eighth SCAR Biology Symposium By Dr Clive Howard-Williams here were APIS, Subglacial lakes and The symposium also hosted a UV Radiation. workshop and several lectures on the The eighth SCAR international Bi The results of the Antarctic Pack Ice status of the Earth's latest unexplored ology Symposium was held in Am Seals (APIS) programme are appear large ecosystem: the sub-glacial lakes sterdam between 27 August and 5 ing in the literature, following the beneath the 3.5 km thick Antarctic ice September 2001. SCAR Symposia are enormously successful APIS voyage cap in the middle of the continent. a very important part of SCAR's in on the Nathaniel B Palmer from De The best known of these is Lake teractions with the science commu cember 1999 to February 2000. For Vostok, a lake beneath the ice of some nity and for those many Antarctic sci the first time ever, synoptic and wide 6 000 square kilometres in area and entists who are not directly associated ranging counts were made over a 1000 m deep. Research on the Vostok with the large SCAR Science pro large area of the ice pack to determine ice cores, on the seismic profiling of grammes, these symposia are often the abundance and distribution of the the area and from a series of physical the only contact they have with pack ice seal species, about which and geochemical models has pro SCAR. The international Biology very little is known. These seals lie in vided a fascinating picture of what symposia also attract scientists from one of Earth's most remote and inhos the lake may be like in structure, and the Arctic and those working in ar pitable marine ecosystems requiring possibly even chemistry, but the great eas related to aspects of polar science. special ship, airborne and satellite unknown is whether there is life in An unusual feature of the symposia linked operations to study them. Pack the lake. Evidence from elsewhere in is that they cover a wide discipline ice seals cover the following species: Antarctica suggests that life should base, with a place (Antarctica) as the Crabeater, Ross, Weddell and leopard occur there, and that it will be micro focus rather than a subject area. Mi seals. These seals have different life bial. It will have been isolated from crobial ecologists rub shoulders with history patterns that show up in the the rest of the world for up to 1 mil seal biologists, and terrestrial bota way they use the pack ice. Crabeater lion years. What genetic structures nists listen to oceanographic lectures. seal densities were highest in the vi will it have? What physiological The interest and shared experience in cinity of the continental shelf, mechanisms and enzyme systems? Antarctica binds the delegates to Weddell seals had highest densities How do we drill into the lake with gether in a way probably unique to on the fast ice, with lowest over deep out contaminating it? The next three the science world. water. Ross seals were most abundant years of research will prove crucial in The Amsterdam symposium at in the interior pack ice. Leopard seals beginning to understand these amaz tracted over 350 delegates from 22 were almost non-existent in the Ross ing systems. countries. The symposia are held Sea pack ice. Crabeater seals moved Recent research on Ultra Violet ra every 3 years, and at every sympo throughout the pack ice zone, but diation (UVR) in the Antarctic was sium there are highlights in the form tended to stay near the continental reported on in several papers at this of new discoveries and new research slope, Weddell seals tended to drift symposium. It is clear that terrestrial directions. Naturally there were a sig with the ice. And Ross seals tended and shallow freshwater and marine nificant number of presentations on to use the open water north of the organisms such as mosses, algae and climate change, but the three areas pack ice for prolonged foraging trips bacteria can adapt very quickly to that I particularly want to mention in the southern ocean, using the pack Continued on Page 117 ice to haul out. Giant Tour Ship to Visit Antarctic Peninsula Westours, part of the Holland and operational standards relating to America Line plans to take its 55,451 environmental protection far tonne Ryndam through the narrow exceeding those required in Lemaire Channel in January 2002. conforming to generally accepted This repeats the visit of an earlier Antarctic guidelines" Although the Ryndam (219 m long) giant tour ship in late January 2000 is slightly shorter than the Rotterdam when the 62,000 tonne Rotterdam Giant tour ship Ryndam in warmer it will be carrying more passengers passed through the channel carrying waters. 970 passengers, setting a record for (1266) and a crew of 557. There will the largest ship to operate in Antarctic Dr Bernard Stonehouse, lecturer be no attempt to disembark. The ship waters. The 238 m long Rotterdam had aboard the cruise and a member of was built in Italy in 1994 and is been paying a two-day visit to the the Society, is quoted as describing registered in the Netherlands. It has Peninsula as part of a four month the visit as "a safe, carefully-planned 10 decks and a quarter of the 633 world cruise. No passengers or crew and well executed operation, with cabins have their own balconies. were taken ashore. well-considered contingency plans,

116 Volome 19, No. 2, 2001 NEWS Antarctic Serious Fire at Rothera Destroys

The fire at Bonner Building laboratory well out of control. Photo: British The Bonner Laboratory at British Antarctic Survey. Antarctic Survey's Rothera Station was completely destroyed by fire in around 15-20% of the the early hours of Saturday 29 Sep BAS programme. With tember 2001. A fire alarm sounded at this year's Antarctic 1 a.m. local time alerting staff to field season about to smoke and flames in the loft of the start, science managers Laboratory. Efforts to put out the fire are looking in detail at with a snow blowing machine and a both the short and long- small fire engine failed, and deterio term implications for rating weather with winds gusting up biological research. to 75 knots forced Rothera staff to re Deputy Director of turn to the safety of the main living BAS, Dr John Dudeney, and accommodation block. The re said soon after the disaster "We are Fire aftermath at Rothera. Photo: maining Rothera buildings were un relieved that there has been no loss British Antarctic Survey. damaged and all 21 wintering science of life or injury and the rest of the re The Bonner Laboratory was and support staff were safe. search station, including the living ac opened at Rothera in January 1997 The Director of BAS, Professor commodation, is not at risk. Our first and is the centre for biological re Chris Rapley, and senior staff had a priority is the safety of our staff and search by BAS in the Antarctic Penin difficult job assessing the full impact we are in regular contact with sula. It is equipped with sophisticated of the fire on the BAS operations and them This major damage to the scientific instruments, a dive facility research programme. Marine and ter laboratory will be a serious blow to and marine aquarium. Regular fire restrial research at Rothera represent our biological research programme." drills are carried out. SCAR Symposium - Continued from Page 116. A Voyage for Stamp lovers increased UVR levels by adjusting their natural pigment The Belgian company "Asteria Antarctica" is offering a "suncreens" or other biochemical pathways. We also now tourist voyage late next year with a special philatelic fo know that the roles of UVR in Antarctic ecosystems are cus. One of its aims will be to visit postal facilities at up to many and varied and that certain wavelengths of UVR are eight national stations in the Antarctic Peninsula. associated with the repair of damage caused by other UV There is great international interest in polar philately, wavelengths. One paper showed that the cellular damage with many polar philatelic societies around the world. caused by UVR during daylight hours was repaired when Expeditions planning visits to Antarctica get a significant UV levels dropped during the "night" hours when levels number of requests for specially marked and signed enve of UVR were reduced. The extensive UV monitoring net lopes from collectors. work of the US National Science Foundation has shown The 'International Polar Philately Cruise to the Antarc that the highest levels of UV occur in November and De tic' is advertised for 27 December 2002 to 7 January 2003, cember, months that are usually considered "post ozone and will be a return trip from Ushuaia, Argentina. Asteria hole". intends to sub-charter either the 52 berth tour ship Profes The Free University of Amsterdam, The Royal Institute sor Multanovskiy for the voyage, or the slightly smaller 48 of the Netherlands, and the Netherlands Antarctic Pro berth vessel Grigory Mikheev. gramme all combined to put on an excellent SCAR Sym Apart from visits to popular sites in the north-west Pe posium. It was clear from a discussion forum at this sym ninsula area, the voyage will attempt to call in at post of posium that Antarctic scientists want this series of sympo fices on King George Island such as Arctowski (Poland), sia to continue. Artigas (Uruguay), Bellingshausen (Russia), Eduardo Frei (Chile), Ferraz (Brazil) and Great Wall (China). Other fa Clive Howard-Williams has made many research trips to cilities listed for possible visits include Palmer (US), Port Antarctica as a senior scientist zvith NIWA and is the New Zea Lockroy (UK), Vernadsky (Ukraine), as well as those at land delegate to the SCAR Working Group on Biology. He is Argentinian and Spanish stations at Deception Island. also an Adjunct Professor at Canterbury University, and serves The voyage will have English, French, German and on the Board of Antarctica New Zealand. Dutch speaking tour guides, and Antarctic philatelic dis plays and lectures are also proposed. For further informa tion: http://join.at/polar-philately.

Volome 19, No. 2,2001 117 Antarctic NEWS BEYOND ENDURANCE" - SKI & SNOW BOARD EXPEDITION AFFECTED BY STORM Six experienced US skiers were Islands-based commercial yacht ued on to 2,100m and descended on forced to curtail their plans to climb Golden Fleece, and made an attempt his snowboard. a number of South Georgia's high on Mount Nordenskjold (2,375 m) the With the loss of their tents the peaks and make very steep ski and island's second highest peak. For four group was forced to modify plans for snow-board descents to sea level days the group trekked overland other ascents, as well as their traverse when they lost two of their tents in a from Saint Andrews Bay up the from King Haakon Bay to Stromness, storm. The expedition was led by Nordenskjold Glacier to establish a and after rejoining the Golden Fleece Doug Stoup, who has been involved camp with around six days of food headed south-east along the coast to in several Antarctic ventures over the and supplies below the base of the ski in the Salveson Range, finding last two years. Accompanying him, mountain. Soon after their arrival, excellent snow conditions. On 15 and also with plenty of mountain and ferocious 50-60 knot winds buffeted November they succeeded in climb remote area experience, were Rick the camp for a day, blowing down ing their first and only peak, Mount Amstrong, John Teaford, Hilaree Nel two of their three tents and forcing Norman (1,300 m) that rises "straight son and Tom Day (skier mountain them to build snow walls. The climb out of the water" from Larsen Har eers), and John Griber (snow-board to the summit began on 2 November bour. They skied and snow-boarded mountaineer). Stroup and Armstrong in clear conditions, with fresh snow from the summit down to sea level. are also described as 'videographers', providing excellent conditions for a The Golden Fleece then transported the Patterson as director-cameraman and ski descent. Doug Stroup and Rick party back to Stanley. It is not the end Teaford as writer-producer. Armstrong climbed to around 2,000m of adventure this year for Doug The group arrived at Grytviken before skiing down the fifty-five de Stoup, as he plans to ride a specially late October on board the Falkland gree face, while John Griber contin designed bicycle from Patriot Hills to the South Pole. Plans to locate sunken Endurance Dr Robert Ballard, "Explorer in residence" with the US National Geo graphic Society, hopes to raise funds to locate and photograph the remains of Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship Endur ance, which was crushed in pack ice in the Weddell Sea and sank on 21 November 1915. An estimated two million US dollars will be needed be 9^ ^3 * fore the expedition planned for 2001- 2002 can be guaranteed. The money will be used to hire the US Icebreaker Polar Sea, and to pay for equipment, a* ■ fuel and a support crew of 30. The Polar Sea plans to leave Punta Arenas in late January 2002, and if ice condi tions were favourable, would arrive at Endurance's position some 300km east of the Larsen Ice Shelf in early February. According to Ballard, the position of the ship has been pin pointed to within a few square miles. Photo: Frank Hurley Satellite imagery has shown that The sinking Endurance crushed by ice. the area has been almost ice free in sent down 3000m to photograph it. Bismark and Yorktown, as well as the early February during three of the last Dr Ballard has significant experi World War 1 Lusitania. four years. Aside-scan sonar from the ence in deep-sea operations. In 1985 If Ballard's Weddell Sea quest is Polar Sea and a remote-controlled he was involved in the dramatic dis successful, only the hull of the Endur mini-submarine, the Argus, will help covery of the Titanic on the floor of ance is likely to be found as the ship locate the wreckage, before a second the Atlantic Ocean. He has also vis lost all her masts, rigging and funnel submarine, the Little Hercules, will be ited the sunken World War 2 ships the when it was crushed as it sank.

Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic NEWS Solar Eclipse in Antarctic Ship Antarctica in 2003 Positions A Company that specialises in tourism linked to astronomical events is offering the chance to observe a to Web Based tal eclipse of the sun off the East Antarctic coast in 2003. A new web-based data-base that US-based Astronomical Tours and can provide up-to-date information the Antarctic tour operator Quark on the position of ships operating in Expeditions recently announced their Antarctic waters south of Latitude 60° plan for a month-long voyage of the was established by the Council of icebreaker kapitan Khlebnikov to be in Managers of Antarctic Programs the limited area of totality of the 24 (COMNAP) in October. The system, November 2003 event. Khlebnikov is whose primary role is to provide ship one of only two tour ships that cur information in an emergency, is the rently operate in Antarctic waters ca first of its kind in the Antarctic region. pable of handling the heavy ice con Access to the data-base is password ditions often found off the East protected, but is available to author Antarctic coast in spring. ised government and non-govern The narrow area where the moon's ment operators. shadow, or totality, will pass over the The Ship Position Reporting Sys Antarctic region will start south-east of the Larsemann Hills, Princess tem (SPRS) was set up as a result of of Heard Island, southern Indian Elizabeth Land, where a visit to the concerns by a number of countries Ocean, soon after sunrise (local time) Chinese station Zhong Shan is pro about the difficulty of obtaining in on 24 November. From there the posed. Australia's Davis station, in formation about ships in an area shadow's landfall on the coast of Ant the Vestfold Hills to the northeast, is where an emergency had occurred, arctica will be near Russia's Mirny also listed on the itinerary, after which and whether that incident was coastal station, where totality is expected to the vessel will travel eastwards to an or on the high seas. SPRS was de last for just less than two minutes. area in the pack ice north of Mirny to signed to provide almost instant in The shadow's path then curves in observe the eclipse. A visit to Mirny formation on vessel locations to those land over the Antarctic ice-cap before is not mentioned in the schedule, al responsible for any rescue or search leaving the continent several hours though one to Australia's Casey sta action. It was developed after con later in the vicinity of India's Maitri tion in Wilkes Land (on the final leg sultation with national programme and Russia's Novolazerevskya sta of the journey to Hobart after the personnel, maritime safety organisa tions. eclipse), is listed. tions, and ship's officers. Frequent periods of solid cloud Details of the proposed 2003 On the SPRS data-base, ships are cover are experienced by the East voyage are available online at: displayed as triangles in eight evenly- Antarctic pack-ice during spring, par http://www.astronomicaltours.net/ spaced, sectors around the coast of ticularly in the early morning hours Croydon Travel, an Australian Antarctica. Access to a triangle pro when the eclipse will occur. The or Company that has operated tourist vides the name of the ship, the time ganisers of Khlebnikov's voyage are overflights of Eastern Antarctica since of its last report, its latitude and lon hoping for abnormal conditions so 1994, carrying more than 20,000 pas gitude, and its heading. Contact in that the solar event can be seen in full. sengers, is also planning a solar formation for the ship, such as tel For the eclipse, the Kapitan eclipse trip. The likelihood of the ephone and fax numbers, are also Khlebnikov is scheduled to leave Port flight being above any cloud should given as well as information on any Elizabeth, South Africa, on 5 Novem allow perfect viewing of the eclipse. continental or island stations in the ber 2003 and complete the journey in The 12-14 hour flight will leave Perth, sector and their communication links. Hobart, Australia, on 3 December. Western Australia, late 23 November Ship information will be sent to the Not all of the trip will be tied to the 2003 so that it will be close to Mirny SPRS data-base be e-mail, usually by eclipse. After leaving South Africa Station early the next morning. Af the head office of the ship's company the vessel is expected to visit the sub- ter the eclipse, the flight will follow or national programme. It is not Antarctic islands of Crozet, the coastline around to Casey Station known how many vessels will be con Kerguelen and Heard in the southern before heading north to Australia. tributing to the SPRS system during Indian Ocean, before it heads south For further information contact the first year of its operation. to the Antarctic coast in the vicinity [email protected]

Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic LETTERS TO EDITOR

From: David E Yelverton FRGS

8 November 2001

Dear Madam, Discovery Expedition 1901-4: Crew Identities in Contemoorarv Photos I have spent more than a decade identifying the Discovery crewmen who, for various reasons, did not ap pear in the photos taken on the return of the expedition to Lyttelton in 1904, and later that year in London (the lat ter reproduced in Scott's The Voyage of the Discovery). Readers can imag ine the writer's considerable satisfac tion when a process of elimination apparently yielded the identity of George Vince as the left-hand seaman on the boom in the December 1901 Townetting operations on B.N.A.E (1901-4) photographed 21 November 1901. Weekly Press Lyttelton photo repro (l-r) Hodgson, Wm Hubert (donkeyman), probably Thomas S Williamson, George duced here as Fig. 1. This appeared T Vince. Photo courtesy Royal Society, London. to be conclusively supported when lar to Bonner's friend, the Union Cas the facial structure of that man, then (l-r): on boom: Plumley, Vince, Wild, I aTlnKni'/n I .• WlXunjFH tle Line seaman Robert Sinclair, re aged 21, matched that of one of the 11 1 • 1 • • ■ . 11__ _ ._ 1 ._ 1 icfarlane, Dailey, Dellbridge; on cruited at Cape Town, who deserted at Port Chalmers, believing himself extract from a photo, taken in 1892 deck: Blissett, Lashly, Page, Dell, when Vince was twelve years old, of Weller, Quartley, Smythe, responsible for Bonner's death. ' ; at the Blandford Forum Williamson, Bonner, Pilbeam. (Italics Sinclair is certainly the man next to where different from my caption) William Heald in a photo (neg. 11052 (Dorset) school that he attended. in the Canterbury Museum collec With that last identity in place, As others agree, Markham did not lere was adequate justification for always get such things right, and he tion) of some of the men, including ***£ inclusion of the Lyttelton photo is demonstrably wrong in two cases. Bonner, during a visit to the North in Antarctica Unveiled, the writer's He identifies Miller, the sailmaker, as Canterbury Mounted Rifles camp. Duncan the shipwright, and Allen as Suffice it to say that, under 8x mag history of the expedition. However, Bonner. Miller appeared with nification, the Weekly Press photo conflicting evidence has emerged in a scrapbook, compiled by Sir Duncan to his left in the well-known print reveals that the man next to Blissett is unquestionably Chief Clements Markham, that was sold as Lafayette crew picture taken before Stoker William Lashly, which now Lot 142 at Christie's 25 September the ship sailed from London, but only makes it logical to assume that all the 2001 Polar Sale in London. Since the the Duncan of that photo appears in Skelton's 30.9.1902 photo (Skl71, RGS engine room hands would have been object of Antarctica Unveiled was to neg B3706) of the petty officers' on deck with him, despite some dif spread facts, this letter is aimed at "No.3" mess (see pl52 in my book). ficulty equating Frank Plumley's face broadcasting the real identities with to his appearance in the 1904 out waiting for the second edition of So Miller it is in the Lyttelton photo. the book, in which they will be incor The man next to Pilbeam is wearing Lyttelton and London photos. On the sea boots, as are all the other PO's in other hand, Ldg Stoker Thomas Whit porated, hopefully next year. field's marked facial thinning com In Markham's scrapbook was a the picture, but none of the seamen, small print of the Weekly Press photo, so he cannot have been Able Seaman pared to his appearance in the 1901 London photo can readily be ac above which Sir Clements had in Charles Bonner. His face readily counted for by the extreme stokehold scribed the names of all the men in equates to that of PO Allen in the 1904 the picture. To my dismay, consider London picture in Scott's book (vol. I temperatures, endured for days on facing p66). end, when they had passed through ing the length of my quest for identi the tropics on the voyage out. fied photos of all the crew, I found However, Markham was undoubt edly right in the other four cases That Markham is also right about that six of the names were different the man between Plumley and Frank from those published in my caption where his identifications differ from mine on page 93 of Antarctica Un Wild being Vince is now also borne to the photo reproduced on page 93 veiled. Circumstances combined to out by the other photo (Fo6 taken by of Antarctica Unveiled. Most crucially, delay acquisition of a satisfactory Reginald Ford on 6 Nov. 1901) repro it revealed the identity of George duced here as Fig. 2. In 1998, Mrs Ann Vince as the second man from the left print of the Lyttelton photo and com on the boom.. pelled use of a photocopy to estab Shirley (nee Savours) told me the National Maritime Museum had a Markham identifies the men as lish identities of the men. In it, the man next to Blissett appeared simi Continued on next Page Volume 19, No. 2, 2001 Antarctic NEWS from [New York] just two months af ter the worst terrorist attack [on the US] in history". TERRORIST ATTACKS Plans have been cancelled by the Chilean company Turismo y Hoteles Jose Nogueira (THJN) to fly tourists AFFECT ANTARCTIC from Punta Arenas to Chile's airfield at Teniente Marsh on King George Island, using Chartered Chilean Air PLANNING Force Hercules and the slogan "Jump Despite the travelling public's per as a mark of respect rather than be over the Drake Passage". Eleven fly- ception that Antarctica is a still a "safe cause of security fears or economic cruise voyages in the Antarctic Penin region" following the September ter pressures. The two-day return flight, sula region had been planned for rorist attacks in the United States, which was to use a SAA Boeing 747- 2001-02, with the Chilean Province of shown by largely unaffected tour ship 400 aircraft from New York, included Magallanes regarding them as an bookings, at least two airborne events a twelve-hour, 10,900 km non-stop important initiative to help Punta have been cancelled this year. flight from Rio Gallegos in southern Arenas wrest a greater share of the On 13 September, Concord Spirit Argentina to Perth, Australia, via the Antarctic Peninsula tourism market Tours and South African Airways South Pole. President of Concord from Argentina's Ushuaia, currently (SAA) announced that their around- Spirit Tours, Don Pevsner, said that South America's busiest Antarctic the-world record attempt flight via all but twenty-two seats on the flight gateway. THJN announced that it is both geographic poles scheduled for had been sold and that it "could have waiting to see what impact current November (see Antarctic Vol. 19, no. flown on schedule". However, it world security problems will have on 1, p. 93) had been cancelled "by mu would have been "in bad taste to try Antarctic tourism before moving tual agreement". This had been done to stage a gala world-record flight ahead with the venture.

"Weekly Press" photograph of the Discovery in Lyttelton, published December 1901 Press photo. A further case of mistaken identi ties, which will be corrected in the second edition, must be mentioned here. Dr. David Wilson has pointed out that a copy of the photo of Shackleton's first sledge (reproduced on pl22 of my book) was found in one of his great uncle's personal photo albums now in the Scott Polar Re search Institute archive, and that Edward Wilson's diary makes it clear that he and his companions, rather than seamen, pulled the sledge with the pram (after which Pram Pt. is named) through 'The Gap' on 18 Feb Letter to Editor Continued from ruary 1902. Reference to Hodgson's Previous Page tion that the geologist supervised diary makes it clear that he helped such operations, and that the carpen them pull their kit to the starting copy of this photo, which was found ter, a warrant officer, would appear point the next day, from which it fol in a locker aboard Discovery in 1986 in seaman's attire, led the writer to lows that he is the left hand man in before the ship's removal to Dundee, dismiss the identification of Vince out the traces, standing in for Shackleton on the back of which someone had of hand. However, it is now clear that who took the photo on the 18th (Sh88 identified the men as (l-r) the geolo the facial proportions of the man be in the RGS catalogue, which the gist Hartley Ferrar, PO Edgar Evans, tween Plumley and Wild match those writer compiled). Carpenter Frederick Dailey, and of the right hand seaman in the Yours truly George Vince. Hodgson's diary re townetting photo, and not those of veals it was taken on 21 November Able Seaman William Peters, a corre David Yelverton 1901 while he was townetting. Any lation suggested to the writer by the 37 Maples Court, one less like Edgar Evans than the Ford photo of him (Fo33 in the origi Bedford Road, donkeyman William Hubert, who is nal albums) in which hindsight now Hi tch in operating the winch, is hard to imag reveals a more forward jutting chin England. ine, and the absurdity of the sugges- than that of the man in the Weekly

Volume 19, No. 2, 2001 Antarctic ADVENTURE TOURISM The Antarctic Climbing and filming Convergence Zone from the Project The Canadian-registered 15 metre will join Gambo in Ushuaia. A "Sup ketch Gambo has begun a multi-sea port and reserve team" is composed Pelagic son, multi-national, operation in Ant of Jon Millar and Crystal Huscroft The 16.5 metre sailing vessel arctic and sub-Antarctic waters that (Canada), Andy Mitchell and Pelagic, operated by Pelagic Expedi combines serious research with ad Susanne Hanson (Denmark). tions (UK-based), is supporting two venture activities. The Antarctic Con All participants are believed to separate expeditions to South Geor vergence Zone Project (ACZP) will have research experience in gia this season. The yacht left Stanley involve visits to "strategic" glaciers, glaciology, atmospheric or environ 27 October carrying a four-man party ice caps and ice-capped islands in the mental sciences. Each also has con from Transglobe Films, Madrid, to Antarctic Peninsula and Antarctic siderable experience in climbing, sail film a documentary on South Geor Convergence Zone regions to try and ing, kayaking and scuba diving in gia's wildlife. On 29 December the assess the impact of global warming various remote areas of the world. ship will again leave Stanley with a and human-made pollutants on the Three of the party have worked with Welsh climbing party led by Caradoc southern regions. national programmes in the Ross Sea Jones, who was the first Welshman to For the last six months Gambo has and Antarctic Peninsula sectors. Ex reach the summit of Mount Everest. been having a major refit in Lyttelton, pedition organisers consider this The party also includes Skip Novak, New Zealand, then set sail for blend of research and adventure ex the owner of Pelagic, and cameraman Ushuaia in preparation for the start perience the key to the venture's po Al Hughes. The group's aim will be of the first season's voyage. Helping tential success. to get to the top of three unclimbed crew the ketch from New Zealand is Hubbard and Hildes will carry out peaks - Mount Paulsen (1847m), ACZP's leader Dr Alun Hubbard, climate change and glacier response Marikoppa (1,811m) and Three Broth currently a UK Royal Society Re modelling in collaboration with the ers, which actually has four summits search Fellow based at the University Universities of Edinburgh and Brit (1466, 1783, 1837 and 2008m). of Canterbury in New Zealand. ish Columbia. Kellerhals and Caradoc Jones has climbed before in Hubbard is accompanied by New Mitchell will carry out heavy metal South Georgia and the Antarctic Pe Zealander Grant Redvers and Ameri persistant organic pollutant analyses ninsula. In 1993 he made the third can Peter Taylor. Four other mem in collaboration with the Centre of successful attempt on South Geor bers, Dave Hildes and Marcus Glaciology, University of Wales, gia's highest peak, Mount Paget Kellerhals (Canada), Elliot Robertson Aberystwyth and the University of (2933m), when he was Harbour Mas (UK), and David Fasel (Switzerland) Insubria. ter at Grytviken. Skip Novak climbed Mt Paget in 1995 and also has numer ous Peninsula-area climbs to his credit, including the 1996 expedition with Jones to Cape Renard. In 1997 Circumnavigation of Al Hughes was aboard Pelagic on a voyage to the Peninsula when he was 'climbing cameraman' for a film, later globe by Arctos released by the United States televi Arctos, a 16.5 metre craft of new eral competitors withdrew close to sion channel ESPN. This year Hughes design, left Hobart, Australia on 3 the start of the race. The route was hopes to make a film for the Welsh November for Lyttelton, New Zea resurrected for the Arctos by 'To language television channel S4C. land, then Ushuaia, Argentina, in gether Alone' organiser Don While the climbers are making the early stages of a six-month cir Mclntyre, the principal of the Aus their attempts on the peaks, Welsh cumnavigation of Antarctica. tralian company Mclntyre Marine bird biologist Iolo Williams will visit Arctos was the first of five Services Pty Ltd, and also Head of sites along the north-east coast of 'Mclntyre 55' vessels that were to Ocean Frontiers who operate the Sir South Georgia, accompanied by an be built specifically for the 'To Hubert Wilkens and Spirit of Sydney. other cameraman and Pelagic's sail gether Alone' Subantarctic around- Arctos can carry up to 10 people, ing crew, to film wildlife. 'Pelagic' is the-world yacht race planned for and the cost of participation in the to return to Stanley with the party November 2001 to April 2002. The full voyage is believed to be around 8 February. event had to be cancelled when sev $US20,000.

122 Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic ADVENTURE TOURISM Busy Tour Ship Season Predicted The Antarctic Peninsula and South to 200 passengers), two into Category South Korean Samsung Industries. Georgia can expect another busy sea 2 (200-500 passengers), while only the These negotiations were successful son of tour ship visits this year, al Ryndam rates as Category 3. and the ship will be renamed World though visitor numbers (10,500) will The icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn's Discoverer and will have a four-month be down on those of last year due to first voyage will be into the Weddell US$10 million refit. It is expected to cruise cancellations of the Lyubov Sea via the South Sandwich Islands commence Antarctic operations in Orlova, Mariya Yermolova, and the new followed by visits to the Emperor November 2002 with a capacity for World Discoverer (see later). penguin colonies along the Crown 160 passengers. First away at the beginning of No Princess Martha Coast of Dronning Ship-based tourist operations in vember was the clipper Adventurer, Maud Land. the Ross Sea region this season are with the Professor Multanovskiy and The Lyubov Orlova and Mariya expected to be slightly down com Kapitan Dranitsyn leaving the follow Yermolova were due to make 21 voy pared to last year. The Kapitan ing week. The Endeavour had been ages to the Peninsula region this sea Khlebnikov and Akademic Shokalskiy due to leave from Stanley at the same son, but the cruises were cancelled are scheduled to make a total of five time, but a routine inspection in a UK when the Canadian tour operator voyages into the Ross Sea between dry dock indicated engine problems, Marine Expeditions collapsed in June mid-December and late February car and the decision was made to replace 2001. The World Discoverer cruises, rying 350-400 tourists. The Sir Hubert the engine and cancel the first of the run by Society Expeditions, was Wilkins, however, has cancelled its ship's 10 voyages this season. By the forced to cancel its voyages for the Ross Sea voyage due to "lack of par end of November, six other vessels second year in a row. Society Expe ticipants", although it will visit left for the Peninsula (Akademic loffe, ditions has been without a ship since George V and Adelie Land coastlines Explorer, Polar Pioneer, Professor April 2000 when the long-serving in December as planned. The yacht Molchanov, Bremen, and Hanseatic) fol tour vessel World Discoverer sank af Spirit of Sydney will visit George V lowed by Polar Star, Vista Mar and ter striking an unchartered rock in the Land in January-February. In the In Grigory Mikheev in December. south-west Pacific (see Antarctic Vol. dian Ocean sector only the French Visits will be made by the giant 18, no 1, p. 12). Earlier plans by Soci national programme vessel Marion ships Marco Polo and Ryndam (see ear ety Expeditions to replace the ship Dufrense will carry a small number of lier story) at the start of 2002. failed. Moves were then made to tourists to the sub-Antarctic islands Thirteen of the fifteen ships fall purchase the 12-year-old Dream 21, an of Crozet, Kergulen, Amsterdam and into IAATO's Category 1 vessels (up overnight ferry vessel owned by Saint Paul. British Army Expedition on The Peninsula An adventure group made up ney northwards along the plateau thing". mainly of serving British Army per from the Darbel Bay area to the south, For support the BAAE is using the sonnel and called the British Army but it is unlikely that the two groups 24 metre steel-hulled ketch John Laing Antarctic Expedition (BAAE), plans will encounter each other on the which was sailed from the UK to to attempt a traverse along part of the plateau. Stanley, Falkland Islands, by army spine of the Antarctic Peninsula from The plateau in that area is around and civilian volunteers. The'Antarc Charlotte Bay on the Danco Coast in 1900 m above sea level and is fre tic Crew' took over in Stanley and is January. They hope to head south quently shrouded in cloud. Given the expected to depart for the Antarctic along what is called the 'Forbidden weather, and the limited food and Peninsula around 26 November. Plateau' to collect geological samples fuel that the BAAE party will be In addition to its work in the Danco from any exposed rock they find. Pla manhauling to plateau level, the Coast region, the BAAE also hopes to teau level will be gained via the long group is reluctant to commit itself to visit the Elephant Island area to col ridge that runs from Portal Point at specific objectives. Tim Hall, a lect samples from the area around the the northern end of Charlotte Bay. spokesman for the BAAE who was a Shackleton Fault for geologists at the The ridge was first used in 1957 by a member of the 1984-85 Joint Services University of Brighton (UK). If con British expedition, led by Sir Wally Expedition to nearby Brabant Island, ditions allow, a climbing group may Herbert, to descend to sea level after said that the ethos of the expedition attempt an ascent of Mount an eight-week journey along the group is built around adventure Pendragon. Some limited ornitho northern part of the plateau from training for young service personnel logical work will also be carried out Hope Bay. and that "it would be a shame for for comparison with data collected in The Antarctic Convergence Zone [any] achievement to be subsequently the Elephant Island group by the Project (see earlier) has also indicated labelled as a failure because of a mis 1970-71 and 1976-77 UK Joint Serv that it may undertake a similar jour guided ambition to climb some ices Expeditions.

Volume 19, No. 2, 2001 123 Antarctic FEATURE [URN][NG1 Retracing Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1916 route across South Georgia.

By Colin Monteath i s l a n d ' s u n 'Sir Ernest Shackleton's name will charted moun always be written in the annals of tainous spine to Antarctic exploration in letters of reach safety. fire.' Though this is Roald Amundsen now Shackleton's most celebrated Windworn, wet, and with one undertaking, for team member seriously chilled, our years it remained mud-spattered party of eight stum in the shadow of bled out from the mountains as night Scott's glorious fall clamped around South Georgia. failure, because, PointPoint Wild: Wild: thethe narrow m spit where Shackleton s men Bone-weary, we trudged across soggy for a Victorian so- survivedsurvived their their epic epic 1916 winter. Elephant Island, South snowfields and knee-deep bogs on ciety still gripped ShetlandShetland Islands. Islands. Photo: Colin Monteath the last leg of our three-day traverse by war, news of from King Haakon Bay to the once- the ill-fated expedition lacked the one ney-based Aurora Expeditions. Greg thriving Norwegian whaling station vital ingredient: death. Today, after Mortimer, Aurora's director, and I at Stromness. Elephant seals belched several re-enactment voyages, the re had already been fortunate earlier in from the ooze, king penguins gawked lease of major films and the reprint the season to guide clients up three and moulting reindeer snuffed the ing of classic books, interest remains elegant peaks on the Antarctic Penin wind, all indifferent to our passing. extremely high in every aspect of sula. Now, with the chill of the south ern autumn nipping at our heels, we Approaching the rusted hulk of Shackleton's enthralling tale, in his Stromness that wore a sad face of ne leadership style and in the expedi planned to lead a party over Shackleton's route on South Georgia glect, we squelched past a platoon of tion's dramatic photographs. fur seal pups nimbly defending their Even before I first went to the Ant before embarking for our home port Ushuaia in the Argentine sector of territory. In dribs and drabs we en arctic in 1973, I was particularly tered the manager's derelict house, a moved by the stark monochrome pic Tierra del Fuego. I have long been welcome refuge from freezing rain. tures taken by Shackleton's photog intrigued by Shackleton as a man of As drenched garments were stripped rapher, Australian Frank Hurley. vision, and equally, by his explora and rows of steaming underwear Now, as an Antarctic photographer tions. The opportunity to probe the interior of South Georgia allowed me hung from makeshift clotheslines, myself, I have handled camera gear to piece together the final links in the puddles spread across the floor. Be with numb fingers on countless oc Shackleton story; a seed of desire draggled and shivering, we stood casions so can appreciate something around the chugging primus, eager of how difficult it must have been for sown on the other side of the conti for tea. Though little was said as we Hurley with his cumbersome equip nent years before. As the Field Operations Officer for sipped the scalding brew, our hag ment to expose, let alone transport, the New Zealand Antarctic Research gard faces beamed - each of us the fragile glass plates under the most thrilled to have made it across South desperate of wet and cold conditions. Programme from 1975 to 1983, I worked each summer on Ross Island. Georgia on the route pioneered by Sir Acutely aware of the need to repay Ernest Shackleton. Befuddled by the expedition debts, Shackleton in This enthralling job enabled me to need for sleep, we were soon curled structed Hurley to preserve, at all visit most of the places Shackleton had been to on his first two Antarctic up in sleeping bags on the floor, alone costs, the best of his precious cargo. with our thoughts of The Boss's re Reproduced in hundreds of books expeditions. In 1902, as a 28-year-old markable achievement back in 1916. and magazines, Hurley's haunting Merchant Navy lieutenant, In Antarctic circles, the island of images have stood the test of time - a Shackleton first went to McMurdo South Georgia is synonymous with lasting tribute to the most gripping Sound with the Royal Navy's Captain the name Shackleton. The British ex saga to emerge from the Heroic era of Scott. After an attempt to reach the South Geographic Pole that crossed plorer set out from South Georgia in Antarctic exploration. 1915. Eighteen months later, after an In March 2001, my 25th summer as the 82nd parallel, Shackleton, Scott incredible feat of survival on the an Antarctic guide was drawing to a and Dr Edward Wilson finally stag Weddell Sea during which his ship close. Since 1983 I have worked as a gered back to Ross Island. Both sank, Shackleton and five compan lecturer and Zodiac driver on Russian Shackleton and Scott came away from ions were forced to make an epic ice-strengthened vessels like the 70 m the experience distrustful of the effec small boat voyage before crossing the Professor Molchanov run by the Syd- tiveness of dogs and with a dislike for

Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic

Wills and James Caird (named after expedition patrons) that were lashed on top of sledges. Periods of anxiety and boredom set in (relieved some what by Leonard Hussey's banjo playing), interspersed by feverish ac tivity to save themselves as floes split. Salvaged camping gear was further reduced, the dogs (and the cat, Mrs Chippy) shot and food and fuel sup plies eked out as harrowing weeks turned into five desperate months. Inexorably, they drifted northward. With another cruel winter gnawing at the tent flaps, survival lay with the boats that they were eventually able to launch on 9 April 1916. Six days later, many of the crew were close to death from exposure to Crossing the last pass before the descent to Stromness. Photo: Colin Monteath. each other that bordered on hatred. freezing spray. Shackleton and sec windswept Polar Plateau to the South ond-in-command Frank Wild had Six years later, in 1908, from a base at Geographic Pole. From there, they been sleepless for 100 hours in their Cape Royds, Shackleton led his own planned to battle on to Ross Island on effort to maintain morale and keep valiant attempt on the pole, passing the opposite coast after sledging the 88th parallel before turning back, down the buckled, crevasse-ridden the boats seaworthy. All but done for in their frigid squalor, the desperate short of supplies to make the final Beardmore, a wind-polished glacier men finally landed near the dismal two-way dash. Shackleton wrote Shackleton had discovered in 1908. 'death lay ahead and food behind...' , Crucially, the success of a 3000 km Cape Valentine, then moved to the then later, to his wife, 7 thought you'd journey across a vast, featureless 3000 slightly more secure Point Wild on rather have a live donkey than a dead lion' m high ice desert known as The Land Elephant Island, a precipitous, ice- clad island in the South Shetland A man of lesser judgement might of Silence, depended on the home have pressed on and died. ward leg having a line of supply de group off the tip of the Antarctic Pe ninsula. The men lurched out of the After the Norwegian Roald pots. In Aurora, Shackleton's Ross Sea Amundsen had reached the South open boats with frozen feet and Party led by Aeneas Mackintosh set drenched clothing to touch solid rock Geographic Pole in 1911 on a dog- up a base on Ross Island. During a for the first time in 497 days. sledging journey up and down the storm at night, at a time when sup Axel Heiberg Glacier (Scott's man With little option but a one-shot plies had been only partly unloaded bid to raise the alarm, Shackleton and hauling party died of brutal cold and at Scott's old hut at Cape Evans, Au starvation three months later on the rora lost her anchor. Disastrously, the his crew of five readied the seven Ross Ice Shelf.), Shackleton hatched vessel drifted northward, trapped by metre James Caird for a grueling 1500 an ambitious plan to undertake a km passage to South Georgia - now pack ice for fully 11 months before hailed as the greatest small boat voy complete crossing of the continent. breaking free and reaching New Zea Despite his limited knowledge of land with a jury-rigged rudder. Even age in history. Frank Wild was left in charge of the 21 men who sheltered dog-sledging and skiing, Shackleton though those left at Cape Evans had with him under the remaining up planned to rely solely on these fun inadequate equipment and barely turned boats. (I have tried to beach a damental methods of polar travel. enough food and fuel, the depots (Antarctica was not traversed with were dutifully positioned as far south Zodiac inflatable at the forbidding huskies until 1989/90 - a seven- as the Beardmore (three men died on Point Wild on six occasions, succeed month, 7000 km, international sledg the return; the survivors were even ing only once. So exposed is this spit of wave-lashed rock that I feel Wild's ing odyssey led by Will Steger and tually rescued by Shackleton inl917). Jean-Louis Etienne.) Unbeknown to the Ross Sea Party, role in maintaining the morale of the In December 1914, shortly after the these hard-won depots would never party for four months while awaiting outbreak of World War I, the 1914-17 be used. Shackleton, meanwhile, rescue has been greatly understated.) hadn't even made it to the Weddell With one man clutching the tiller, Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition often as not Shackleton himself, and got underway when Shackleton's Sea coast. Trapped in a maw of ice ship Endurance left Grytviken, South the others huddled on the ballast of throughout that drawn-out winter, boulders under a makeshift decking Georgia, bound for the heart of the Endurance was gradually crushed. Weddell Sea. The plan was for Endur On 21November 1915, as of packing case lids, James Caird un ance to land men and dogs on the Shackleton and his 27 men stood for derwent a thrashing in the Scotia Sea Weddell Sea coast's southern extrem for 16 grim days. Pitilessly, gigantic lornly on an ice floe, Endurance sank. waves flung the tiny craft about like ity where they would spend the win Cast adrift on treacherous, grinding ter. The following spring, sledging floes, they pitched their tents beside a cork tossed in surf, their fresh wa- parties would slog across the high, the lifeboats Dudley Docker, Stancomb Continued on Page 126

Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic FEATURE Continued from Page 125 ter was tainted by salt and, the rein deer sleeping bags became so satu Georgia's south-west coast in the best was imperative to haul the boat up rated and heavy that, almost unbe possible place, though a storm pre vented a landing for several days. By lievably, some were thrown over board. Desperate for warmth and now, they were parched, their skin And later, after fully seven days at salt-soaked and all were weak from Cave Cove, regaining their strength nourishment, they took turns to grip lack of food. Finally, in an act of des and jury-rigging the James Caird's rud the kerosene primus stove between der so they could sail 20 km to the their knees, gradually heating the fat- peration, James Caird was beached in Cave Cove, a small embayment on rich hoosh, a sloppy but life-giving head of the fjord "I saw an object bob the outer edge of King Haakon Bay. meat stew. bing about in the surf and Crean waded out knee-deep to investigate...'The Meanwhile, Frank Worsley, the Worsley recorded in his diary, As New Zealand skipper of Endurance, James Caird grounded on the beach zve rudder!'...After six days' wandering, leapt from her bows and hauled her up... zvith the vast Southern Ocean and all the was topside, fighting to hang on to a we took it in turns to have a good drink. shores of South Georgia to choose from, mast while he aimed his sextant at a This water came from the swamps above, that rudder, as though it zoere faithfully gyrating horizon. Absolutely critical, and it may have been peaty or muddy, performing what it knezv to be its duty, navigation was made all the more but to us it was nectar. had returned to our very feet. This inci tricky by soggy calculation tables, a Meanwhile the boat was bump dent strengthened in us the feeling that questionable chronometer and only ing heavily on the boulders, for even zve zoere being protected in some inexpli four brief sightings of the sun during here there was a considerable surf. cable way..." By now, with the ever- the entire voyage. To miss South Her stern swung round against the present vision of their mates stranded Georgia meant certain death in the rocky cliff and in the darkness her on far-away Elephant Island pressing Southern Ocean. rudder was torn off...and was lost. on them, they knew an attempt to With the scales ail-but tipped We realised what this meant but we cross the island was imperative. against them until the last moment, had no time to worry about it for it Worsley managed to reach South Part II in the Next Issue

ship Endurance became stuck in the Antarctic ice and later sank, has Antarctic Auction spawned a series of best-selling books, exhibitions, films and docu More than 200 items relating to gether raised considerable funds by mentaries. Arctic and Antarctic exploration went a public appeal to keep the archives The Macklin papers fetched more under the auctioneer's hammer at a in Britain. than £200,000. The diary was valued well attended Christie's Auction in Dr John Heap, former director of prior to auction at £50,000-£80,000 - London on 25 September 2001. SPRI and now chairman of the UK but sold for £104,950. The doctor's The auction's highlight was the Antarctic Heritage Trust, said before documentation from Shackleton's fi Shackleton Collection, which traced the auction that the diaries were "part nal expedition in 1922, which contain the explorer's life from his early jour of the nation's heritage" and should an account of the explorer's death, ney on Scott's Discovery expedition remain in the UK. "The Macklin di was valued at £60,000-£80,000, and until his death at ary is one of the few records we have fetched £100,550. South Georgia in 1922. The collec of what happened on Elephant Island The papers will now go into safe tion included portraits, photographs, after Shackleton left to get help. The keeping at the Scott Polar Research letters, and books - and even a 100- world has decided that the Institute in Cambridge. Nicholas year-old bar of chocolate from the Shackleton story is a story they want Lambourn, the Christie's specialist in Discovery expedition. The 10-centime- to know about and this is the origi charge of the sale, said: "It is most fit tre-long bar, still wrapped and in a nal of that." ting that these relics of the heroic age cigarette tin, was snapped up for The tale of how Sir Ernest of Antarctic exploration have been £470, Shackleton rescued his men after the saved for the nation." The main items of interest were the "Macklin Papers", the diaries and Shackleton archival papers of Alexander and his men Macklin, doctor on the now legen dragging boats across dary Endurance expedition of 1914- 1917. The Macklin papers were the sea ice deemed so important that the UK's after the ■ National Heritage Memorial fund re Endurance <^ ^ %» ■ leased substantial sums to ensure that had sunk. A *l^^; » r the documents did not go to foreign bidders. The Scott Polar Research fttlfcttft Institute, holder of substantial ar chives of British Polar material, and the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, to

Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic OVER MY SHOULDER

efforts with my hands. A husky, feel ing me beside him and evidently thinking me another dog, turned his head with a lightning slash of his jaws Dogs on ice and met his teeth through my hand. By James Lennox-King At once he realised his mistake, and When the last of the huskies left forgetting the fight, put his paws on New Zealand's Antarctic base in 1987 my shoulders and with avid licks of an era of hardship and adventure and my face and hands said 'Sorry, Boss!' something of romance came to an in the most abject canine apology. end. Now, mechanical transport has Though my hand needed several made dog teams pulling sledges on stitches his reaction to the damage long journeys only a distant memory. earned him instant forgiveness. They Yet the decision, logical though it was, were wonderful lovable animals and removed from Antarctic operations would pull a sledge until they some of their colour and an aspect of dropped. life that had given many men a fasci Between the summers they spent nation and satisfaction built on the The dog lines in front of Scott Base in the long winter night on the dog lines, relationship between them and their 1957. Photo: Trevor Hathertan long spans of steel wire rope firmly dog teams. Collection. anchored in the sea ice. Dog chains The Antarctic has seen some nota were attached at a sufficient distance the favoured one in jealousy. When I ble dog-sledging journeys. Since apart to prevent the dogs making con Amundsen used dogs to reach the ran my own team on a three weeks tact with one another and starting the Pole in 1912, Dr Laurence Gould's field trip in the spring to get to know inevitable fight. Between winter ex dog team in 1929 took some of Byrd's the dogs and train the new ones for ercise runs when the moon and the party 1300 miles across the Ross Ice their summer work in the field, I de weather allowed, there they stayed, Shelf. In 1957 Bob Miller (later Sir veloped a great affection for them, without cover. It was a boring dull life Holmes Miller) and his party made a and it seemed they for me. for them then and anything that made survey journey of 1670 miles, and in The dog teams were known not by a change was welcomed with enthu 1963 he made the last major dog- the driver's name, such as 'Peter's siasm, whether it be a chance for a sledge journey in the Antarctic, of team', but by the name of the lead dog fight or a run. It was hard to tell which 1200 miles in northern Victoria Land. - 'Patch's team' - and for good rea they preferred, for they had been On his Trans-Antarctic Expedition of son. The lead dog of the team, the trained to sledge pulling from pup- front runner, was the dog boss. He 1957-8, Fuchs used dogs to supple pyhood and did it with devotion. ment the work of his motor vehicles, kept his team in order and a dog that In the many winter blizzards the was not putting its weight into the the dogs covering 900 miles from the dogs would curl up with their paws Weddell Sea to the Pole. (From there traces was soon brought into line by and bushy tails over their noses and a sharp nip. Each team stayed to they were flown out to New Zea just lie there. If the blizzard was pro land's Scott Base at McMurdo gether; each dog (or bitch) had its longed the more experienced dogs Sound.) On a lesser scale were the own personality; each was an indi would get to their feet every few annual summer operations from Scott vidual, intelligent or dim, keen or hours, shake themselves free of snow Base by surveyors, geologists and lazy, placid or quarrelsome, master and lie down again. The younger glaciologists using dog sledges in the ful or submissive. Common to all was ones might fail to carry out this rou an affection for their team driver - field. Sometimes these parties tine, and their hair would freeze into sledged from base, but at other times once he had proved he was boss. If a the snow they lay on. When a bliz they were flown into distant loca fight started when the dogs paused zard was over often nothing could be tions. in their pulling, drivers could wade seen of the dog lines but rows of snow The dog used for transport in high into a whirling free-for-all of nine mounds with dogs beginning to latitudes is called a husky. But he is yelling ferocious dogs to break up the emerge from them. The sledgemen still a dog, a large dog, a dog that na fight with bare hands and only by would be quickly down there to chip ture has equipped for his environ accident would a man be bitten. any frozen-in dogs free before they ment, a dog in some ways not far re One time when I had paused in a tore off hair and skin in their efforts moved from his wolf ancestors, a dog team run, a furious fight developed to free themselves. that will fight savagely with his kind with all the team gleefully joining in. What gave the husky his immunity given the chance. Yet he regards his (There's something Irish in the to cold was twofold: one was his coat regular driver with gentle affection, husky.) I went in to try to part them which had three layers. Next to the an affection which demands that if with kicks of my soft felt mukluks skin was soft fur. Through that grew visiting your team on the dog lines (standard routine, not hurtful but at a close short mat of hair, which in turn you cannot give a passing pat to one tention-drawing) and almost at once was covered in long fine hair. The without caressing every other mem I was enmeshed in a web of traces as other feature was his blood. I discov ber of the team. Otherwise at the next the dogs leapt and dashed. My legs ered this when I had the base doctor were pinned and I was reduced to opportunity the others will set upon Continued on next page Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic OVER MY SHOULDER Continued from previous page do an autopsy on a husky that had ropes. That made it easier for the made for a while, but by this time the died. The capillaries are well below dogs, and was also safer for the driv motor toboggan sledges had become the skin, and the blood itself was thick ers in crevassed areas. available. and viscous and very dark, exactly as Huskies don't bark. They are too The replacement of dog teams by I had found the highly oxygenated close to their wolf ancestors. But at motor sledges was a logical decision. blood of whales to be. times when the light of a full moon For one thing, petrol weighs less than The winter exercise runs with the reluctantly penetrated the whirling the meat needed for the dogs, and dogs were exhilarating. At times the snow of a blizzard you would hear when a party is tent-bound in a bliz temperature would be 50° C below first one, then another, until all the zard fuel isn't being used, while meat zero, the aurora would wave its pale dogs were lifting their muzzles and for the dogs would be. So, breeding green curtains in the sky, while the drowning the howling of the wind was stopped. A few dogs were re light from the full moon would be with the eerie blood-chilling howl of tained at the base for old times' sake reflected from the snow crystals and a wolf pack. I would wonder at those and to entertain important visitors strike blue shadows from humps and times if their tenderness for their with sledge rides, but as age or illness hollows. drivers would still be as staunch. depleted their numbers they were not We wore bulky down-filled jack The dogs were fed on seal meat. I replaced. Finally, in 1987 the remain ets and trousers and gloves, but the was always intrigued by the speed, ing few were sent to a US outdoor unbearded parts of our faces needed and apparent enjoyment, with which centre that has been breeding work checks for the beginning of frostbite. a dog would dispose of his big stone- ing huskies for 20 years. Moustaches would be masses of ice hard piece of frozen meat, his jaws For those old-timers who have from our frozen breath, and at times splitting off bits with ease from a cared for and travelled with a dog eyelids would be sealed shut when lump an axe bounced off. Not a great team, the Antarctic can never be quite the moisture drawn from our eyes by number of seals were taken, but to the the same. the cold would freeze. That was a environmentalists the number was painful thing to remedy. disquieting in principle. As an alter Lt-Cdr Lennox-King was Leader at We didn't follow the North Ameri native, frozen mutton carcases were Scott Base in 1959-60. The following can way and ride on the sledges. Once sent down from New Zealand. The season he again went south, this time as the team had got over their initial result was unhappy, for the dogs lost liaison Officer with the US "Deep Freeze" excitement and were pulling steadily condition, their coats moulted, and Headquarters in Neio Zealand. He later we would slide our feet into skis and stamina dropped away. A return to commanded the New Zealand support tow alongside the sledges on short the nourishing seal meat had to be ship Endeavour when it made tivo trips to Antarctica during the 1962-63 season.

in the dreams and disappointments of these courageous men. London Antarctic I was told that when the Green wich museum staff visited the Fram Museum in Norway, the ware Exhibition 2000-2001 houses were thrown open, and they were told, "Take what you want". Reviewed by Nancy Cawley Among the articles on show in the main third-floor area, is the Norwe The result is stunning. Travellers heading for Britain in Fact File; To reach Greenwich gian sledging flag which from central London, there are sev the next few months who are inter Amundsen - the winner of that pun eral travel options. The simplest is ested in polar exploration are in for ishing race, raised at the South Pole a treat. "South - the Race to the on December 14,1911. There is also by the Docklands Light Railway, which starts near Tower Hill under Pole", a major exhibition celebrat Amundsen's fur suit, knife and ing the deeds of three Antarctic he movie camera; Oates's reindeer ground station and stops beside the roes - Captain Robert Falcon Scott, sleeping-bag; and Scott's skis, "Cutty Sark". From there, the mu Sir Ernest Shackleton and Captain satchel and the journal which was seum is a 10-minute walk. For fur Roald Amundsen, is at the National found beside his frozen body. As a ther details, wit the Maritime Mu seum's website; www.nmm.ac.uk Maritime Museum, Greenwich, background to this collection of London, and runs until the end of unique Polar items are blown-up January, 2002. photos by Herbert Ponting and oth Nancy Cawley is a New Zealand In the large museum foyer, is the ers, and film footage of Shackleton Freelance journalist who specialises in seven-metre boat, the James Caird, and his crew leaving the doomed Alpine, Travel and Antarctic articles. in which, in 1916, Shackleton and ice-bound Endurance - sliding the She flew with Cathay Pacific and was assisted by British Tourism. five of his men made an epic sledge-dogs over the side on a 1200-kilometre voyage to save the stretched sail. To tour the exhibition rest of the crew of the "Endurance". is to share in some small measure

128 Volume 19, No. 2, 2001 Antarctic REVIEW

EVuTKKfVrcNl A First Rate Tragedy TRAGEDY

CAPTAIN SCOTT'S By Diana Preston, London: Constable, first published 1997 JTARCTIC EXPEDITIONS Hard cover, 269 pages, maps, illustrations, references. Price: £16.95. Available in New Zealand from Forrester Books, Albany, Auckland, NZ$40. Reviewed by Bob K. Headland.

This is a timely book, especially had to be selected'. Scott was 33 years with so many centenaries of the 'He old at the time, though his selection roic Age' of Antarctic exploration of expedition members took advan now upon us. It is a proficient ac tage of the few who knew the Arctic. count of what is undoubtedly the best The Discovery (1901-04) expedition indications of what promoted known of the many tragedies in Ant accomplished much; the published arctic history. Numerous aspects of scientific reports occupy a metre of Amundsen's profound secrecy. Even when he revealed his South Pole in the expedition have been debated, library shelf. Summarising the with extremely disparate opinions achievements of the first expedition tention it was only in the least in formative manner. Scott did not being reached. An example is the a guest at a dinner given by the Lord know Amundsen had based his ex entirely different analyses of Kare Mayor of London observed, with Holt and Roland Huntford that adu pedition on the Ross Ice Shelf until unimagined irony: 'It seems to be a Terra Nova found Fram moored there. late and castigate Amundsen and pity that we should suffer their deeds Scott to opposite extremes. This work to pass into oblivion because they As well as the competitiveness be follows a middle course derived from have returned safe and sound'. Other tween expeditions the book also gives indications of that between wives a comprehensive review of the pub aspects are treated, particularly per lished material and substantial use of sonal relationships between Scott and aboard ships. Oates described a manuscript resources. Shackleton who effectively became 'splendid fight between Kathleen The author tells how her interest competitors, and Edward Wilson's [Scott] and Hilda [Evans]' and com began at school (a far from uncom efforts to ameliorate the conflict. mented that 'the wives should be mon situation) and that 'Many years Shackleton took exception to Scott's chosen more carefully than the men'. later I decided to tell that tale both assertion that he had to be carried on The account of the summer and for its innate power and enduring a sledge while returning from a new first winter includes much of the so cial situation prevailing at Cape poignancy .... '. The acknowledge farthest south. Evans with a brief note on 'the worst ment shows that the research in Captain Scott's meeting and sub volved more than a theoretical study, sequent marriage to Kathleen Bruce journey in the world'. The beginning for her understanding of the expedi is described in a separate chapter. As of the South Polar traverse is de tion was greatly enhanced by visits well as the direct effects on their lives scribed in a chapter rightly headed to Scott's historic huts on Ross Island, this event was significant for his Miserable, Utterly Miserable, a quota now so well maintained by the widow became greatly involved with tion from a diary when temperatures Antarctic Heritage Trust. the publications of Scott's last expe exceeded the freezing point causing The Introduction is virtually a syn dition. Soon after the marriage prepa the substrate, and almost everything opsis of the period at the end of rations for Scott's second expedition else, to became sodden. There have been many analyses of the reason for Queen Victoria's reign, essential to began, with much experience derived appreciate the social context then pre from the first. The recruitment of five men being chosen for the last march which are assessed. Perhaps vailing. The appropriate comment is personnel, organization of the sup the circumstances of cold, high alti made that 'it is important to strip plies, and serious problems in raising away the improving tales that accrete funds are all summarised. As well as tude, and inadequate rations would to heroes and to reveal the true char Scott, Shackleton was keen to attain not have contributed to the most effi acter underneath.' This was espe the South Pole and even Robert Peary, cient analysis at that time and place, with the desires of most of the eight cially applicable for the years of the one of the false claimants to the North First World War, which followed the Pole, was planning an expedition men involved to complete the return of the expedition so closely. there. The only plans unrevealed traverse. Scott's first introduction to polar ex were those of Amundsen who was The vicissitudes of the Polar Jour ploration was largely in a state of ig overtly planning a North Pole expe ney, the development of the tragedy, norance, quite rightly termed ama dition, the reality of his South Pole are a major part of the book and re teur. He truly was a pioneer; The intentions was entirely covert. ported from all available sources. Times wrote 'As youth is essential, one The Amundsen-Scott competition Comparisons between the different without actual Polar experience has is well described, including some Continued on Page 134

Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic review Antarctica Unveiled By David E Yelverton FRGS Published by the University Press of Colorado, 2000. Price UK-£25.99, US-$34.95 Reviewed by Baden Noriis

David Yelverton makes no pre port and a surprising number of dis tence in this scholastic record of the missals. National Antarctic Expedition Over recent years, as Antarctic cu 1901-04 to be other than an admirer rator at The Canterbury Museum, I of Captain Robert Scott. What makes have received enquires from the au this worthy account of Antarctic ex thor seeking confirmation of some ploration so refreshing is that he ad point, and I soon learned that David vances his views with conviction Yelverton was not one to be fobbed without resorting 'to elevating his off with a simple answer. He re «J«nil .1 . Jir.il CtXpodiluM and man at the expense of theirs'. While quired, and I hope received, all the /In lyiii'.i/ for the l/fiwnown L,onlineiu often attacking some of Scott's detrac 'i's and the 't's dotted and crossed, tors who have been very harsh in and thoroughly researched. their judgement of the man, he resists The result of such seeking of the D A VIP E. Y E IV E KT O N ' ""» ' I'M -'I EHINIUIKGH pushing down their champions to truth, and thorough research, is evi elevate his own. dent in every page, perhaps in rare As one who has a more than aver cases a mite too detailed, but that is age interest in the expedition in ques hardly a fault. This publication bears few decisions that proved to be tion, after reading this work I can mute testimony to how effective flawed but then who hasn't? So read honestly say I learned heaps from painstaking research can be and how this book, digest its contentious every chapter. Throughout the 472 rewarding it must be for an author to points and I am sure that few will not pages, revelation after revelation bring the results of long, and often reappraise their views. keeps the reader's attention riveted. frustrating, years of delving to final David Yelverton acknowledges the Forget the official account; after all fruition. If David Yelverton went-into human side of Scott and his thinking such records lack balance and the bat for Scott, he had a great innings and does not shrink from mention truth. Forget the tired old debates and knocks the opposition for a row ing his frailties, but he does so with a about the relative merits of Scott, of sixes. degree of rare understanding. Shackleton etc. Read this book with The absolute truth in historical de If the reader wishes to possess a an open mind and make your own bate is elusive, and in most cases is good down to earth account of the judgement. not achievable. But this book, in my Discovery Expedition he (or she) need The author has done a fine job re humble opinion, gets dangerously go no further than this fine publica vealing details not previously known, close to such an achievement. David tion. If ever there was a book that or conveniently ignored, of the events Yelverton has convinced me that needed to be written, and read by all that led to the organisation of the there is still much to be learned about those interested in Antarctica, this is National Antarctic Expedition, better the heroic era of Antarctic discovery known as the Discovery Expedition, and the men who toiled there a cen and the competition with the German tury ago. All that needs to be done is Baden Norris is one ofNezv Zealand's expedition under Professor Erich von to draw aside the curtain of the sani foremost Antarctic historians and is Drygalski. Throughout the expedi tised official versions and the result Curator of Antarctic History at tion's planning the heavy hand of ing revelations will alter the long held Canterburv Museum. He zoas a Clements Markham is obvious, some views of most thinking readers. member of one of the earliest groups to times in quarters not previously Above all I think 'Antarctica Un revisit the historic huts after they zoere thought within his domain. veiled' gives a long needed balance "abandoned" and helped to free them We learn why the Discovery was so to the popular accounts of the Na from the build up of ice and snow. He under canvassed, and why the ship tional Antarctic Expedition, and the currently serves on an Specialist lacked proper insulation in spite of book is well served by black and Advisory Committee to the Antarctic strong pleas from the experienced to white photographs and impressive Heritage Trust and has lectured many have it fitted. In-spite of the official appendices and index. All the conten times on tour ships to the Antarctic. version of the Discovery being a tious matters raised are well docu happy ship with a contented crew, mented. Robert Scott deserves a Editor's Note: This book is available Yelverton reveals many problems much better press than he has re at a discount price through the with drunkenness and discipline in ceived of late. Scott certainly made a Society's mail-order Polar Bookshop.

Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic TRIBUTE W. Frank Ponder 1916 - 2001

Over the years, New Zealand en with day-to-day architectural prob gineers, architects and builders have lems at work, and was soon in great enriched the nation's heritage with a demand because of his practical vast range of works of quality, dura knowledge. bility and grace. Their very pervasive He then worked in the newly ness in our social framework means formed Housing Department, which they are unheralded and unsung, and was set up to meet the post-depres it can be argued that this is how it sion housing boom. This would have should be. been a great opportunity to develop But it was with great sadness that his architectural skills in an environ I learned of the death of one of New ment of the frenzied activity of those Zealand's most active architectural construction days. engineers and designers - Frank Pon In the late 1940's he transferred to der- for here, surely, was a song that the Government Architect's office in must be sung. the Public Works Department. A In 1955 the Commonwealth Trans- world of opportunity opened up, in Antarctic Expedition was launched, volving new building concepts and which was conceived in association the construction of new towns for with the International Geophysical hydro-construction projects. All of Year (1957-58). The New Zealand Frank Ponder (right) zvith Sir Edmund this work was done under pressure Government decided to set up a New Hillary at the trial erection of Scott to strict deadlines, and Ponder very Zealand Antarctic Station, and after Base at Wellington airport, 1956. soon learned the art of organising some site options had been looked at, Photo: Ponder family. contractors to work against the clock. the site chosen was Pram Point at the From then on, it fell to Ponder's lot southern end of Ross Island. The Min of the new Scott Base. When in a few to be involved in a wide variety of istry of Works was given the task of days the base emerged as it were from innovative works. A considerable designing and building the base, nothing, their praise and admiration amount of his career was spent as which had been intended to remain was generous." consultant to the Department of Is in service for no more than three In the surprisingly short time of land Territories, engaged in develop years. Under the expert surveillance only a week or two the base became ing housing, schools and other pub of the Ministry's Project Architect fully operational, and with its subse lic buildings in Samoa, Nue, the Cook Frank Ponder, the work was an out quent additions and modifications Islands and Tonga. With his practical standing success. The buildings were has been supporting the New Zea knowledge he also became a "trou effectively "reverse refrigerators", land scientific programme ever since. ble shooter", being involved in the and recourse was made to the latest It is no exaggeration to say that 1951 Fiji hurricane, and advising the materials and techniques used in Frank Ponder wielded a greater influ Australian government on the after coolroom construction. All the build ence on the design and development math of the Darwin devastation in the ings were pre-fabricated, with the of the first Scott Base than any other mid-seventies. panels sheathed in aluminium with individual involved in the project. As consulting architect to the De the cores made of foamed ebonite, a The work called for innovation of the partment of Civil Aviation he was well-proven lining for coolrooms. highest order, undertaken in a time involved in the development of Nadi The entire building complex was frame, which was so tight that very International Airport, and subse trial-erected at Rongotai, and then few people believed the target was quently the new Auckland Interna shipped to McMurdo Sound on possible in the time. Subsequent de tional Airport. The latter involved HMNZS Endeavour as well as a U.S. velopment on the site has similarly breaking new ground, as it was the Navy supply ship. It is appropriate been an outstanding success because start of the era of the large "jumbo" to quote from Frank Ponder's mem it has followed many of the principles commercial jets. Almost overnight it oirs the story of its arrival: conceived by Ponder in those first was necessary to develop new crite "When little Endeavour arrived at days of our Antarctic involvement. ria for handling and servicing what the ice edge it looked a little like one Frank Ponder was born in Welling was going to be a massive upsurge of the lifeboats from the large fleet of ton in 1916, and spent his boyhood in demand for airport facilities. American cargo ships, and when the in Wellington and Lower Hutt. In Over his entire career, Frank Pon small Ferguson farm tractors were 1934, when the country was still in the der encountered tasks that needed to unloaded together with the dog grip of the Depression, he succeeded be designed from first principles. teams, with some justification the in getting a job in an architect's office Very few men in the history of public Americans fell about laughing. But at ten shillings per week. The follow works have achieved such success in these little farm tractors and dog ing year he enrolled as an extra-mu solving seemingly intractable prob sledges were soon pulling massive ral student in architecture. Studying lems. The original Scott Base was loads the seven or so miles to the site in his spare time, he was confronted Continued on Page 134

Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Antarctic science Tangaroa ores the Ross Sea

' PossessionThilgaroa failing Island between and the mainland. The photograph. . was taken from Possession- •' '— - Island wliife'a team of four rere aslion-.iuinnnga 25 ■iPslRlion. (I'lioto: tchem

Early in 2001, New Zealand's enough food and fuel for all staff and Pelorus was also used to study Crown Research entity, the National crew for up to 10 days was also biodiversity around the Cape Hallett Institute of Water and Atmospheric established on shore at Cape Hallett. area, using a trawl from Tangaroa and Research Ltd (NIWA), used its a special "Splash" video camera. deepwater research vessel Tangaroa to N I WA ' S J O H N M I T C H E L L Many of the crew had the opportu complete a survey of shipping lanes DESCRIBES THE LAST SEASON'S nity to go ashore and mingle with in the Ross Sea. NIWA had been con ROSS SEA VOYAGE some photogenic Adelie penguins tracted by LINZ (Land Information The Tangaroa set sail from New and a large female elephant seal. New Zealand) to collect data for the Zealand on 4 February 2001 for a Deteriorating ice conditions on 22 first official hydrographic chart of the 40-day voyage to the Antarctic. With February led to a decision to pull out Ross Sea, and the voyage marked the air temperatures of-2.9°C, and a thin of the Ross Sea survey area. Although first time that New Zealand had used barrier of ice slowing down the ves there was still plenty of ice-free wa its own ship in the Ross Sea for 30 sel, Tangaroa arrived off Cape Adare ter visible, an increasing amount of years. on 11 February. The ship then negoti pack-ice was moving into the Cape "An increasing number of tourist, ated its way around numerous large Hallett-Cape Adare area, held back research and fishing vessels are visit icebergs between Cape Adare and by icebergs, some as large as 70 km ing Antarctica", said NIWA project Possession Island. This part of Vic wide and 180 km long. Poor visibil director Fred Smits, "and New Zea toria Land is very popular with tour ity overnight slowed progress, but by land has international obligations to ships but had not been adequately morning the bad weather had ensure the safe passage and anchor charted, which was the main reason cleared, and several minke whales, age of any vessels in the Ross Sea .... for the Tangaroa's visit. A secondary penguins and seals arrived to escort for which official hydrographic charts aim was to collect fisheries, aquatic Tangaroa and its crew out of the area. are needed. We want to avoid situa biodiversity, oceanographic, and The ship then headed for the inhos tions such as vessels running other marine science data. pitable Balleny Islands to continue aground or environmental disasters After eight days at sea, a survey hydrographic surveying. such as oil spills." The area was free team was landed at Possession Island On the last day, the crew was mus of ice only between mid-February to install a tidal station. The team of tered for a team photograph. Getting and early March. "We got the condi four spent two days working in bleak everyone outside in 50-knot winds tions we needed", said Mr Smits, surroundings to find the best location was not easy - nor was taking the "and the survey was a complete suc for the station. Meanwhile, the ship photograph! On the way back to Wel cess." continued surveying the Possession lington, the scientific team spent most The 70 metre long Tangaroa was Island-Cape Hallett area. Large of their time analysing data and writ purpose-built in Norway in 1991 for amounts of multibeam data were col ing reports. Tangaroa arrived back in operating in ice conditions and the lected, in some places showing scour Wellington on 17 March, bringing to Ross Sea visit was the third time it ing of the seabed by icebergs. an end a very successful survey. had been into Antarctic waters. The While those at home were celebrat Tangaroa was extensively modified for ing St Valentine's Day, the crew on Tangaroa zvith the Antarctic survey the Ross Sea survey. A multi-million board Tangaroa were busy preparing launch Pelorus (foreground) moored at dollar multi-beam, side-scan echo for their arrival at Cape Hallett. Us Cape Hallett, while an emergency sounder was fitted to the hull to pro ing NIWA's 10.3 metre long Antarc food cache zvas being stored ashore. vide a detailed picture of the sea bed, tic survey launch Pelorus, the team (Photo: John Mitchell) much like an aerial photograph taken went ashore to reestablish from a plane flying over land. It also existing survey marks and to has a comprehensive and integrated establish new ones (if re onboard computer system to support quired). Two Dobie tide the collection and analysis of environ gauges were deployed, and mental, biological and technical data. an emergency food cache - Other adaptations included a refuge 320 man days of food and 60 on the deck of the Tangaroa if an acci litres of kerosene - was dent made the vessel inhabitable be stored on land in one of the low decks. A safety station with existing food storage huts.

132 Volume 19, No. 2, 2001 Antarctic SCIENCE First Foucault Pendulum at South Pole During winter 2001 a group of sci was ready to operate. to begin construction on the pendu entists at the South Pole mounted a "It's very cold at the South Pole" lum. After several trips up and down Foucault Pendulum in a six-storey writes Allan Baker of Sonoma Univer five flights of stairs the pendulum high stairwell and set it swinging. sity from the South Pole, "and the air wire was finally suspended and the This type of pendulum is very is very thin. After hiking up 5 flights rest of the construction could be per large and the line traced by the swing of stairs at 11,000 feet we had to stop formed at floor level. Even then we ing weight appears to rotate relative and rest. While we were resting we had to go in and warm up approxi to the floor below. In reality the track got "cold-soaked" from the extreme mately every 10 minutes. On average, of the pendulum does not change; it temperature, so we had to go back it takes 6 times longer to do things at is the floor that is rotating as the Earth down and warm up. While the "beer the South Pole than it does anywhere turns on its axis. The "period" of a can" as we called it, was enclosed, it else in the world!" pendulum is the time required for it is not heated and its ambient tem The South Pole Foucault Pendu to swing back to exactly the same perature is the same as outside. For lum is still in place and periodically position. At the equator the swing our second attempt we walked up the one of the team will go out and start does not appear to rotate at all and stairs a bit more slowly and rested for it swinging to collect further data. each swing maintains exactly the a shorter period of time and were able same track because the pendulum is at 90° to the axis of Earth rotation. At The stairzuell at the nezv South the poles the pendulum is parallel to Pole Station zvhere the the axis of rotation and the period Foucault Pendulum szvings, matches the rotation of the Earth. seen from outside. Photo Allan The scientists at South Pole consid Baker ered it was an excellent place to build a Foucault Pendulum to observe the rotation of the Earth, but discovered that the environment posed a number of unique challenges. When the pen dulum was constructed the outside temperature was -90°F and the Principal Investigators alongside the pendulum's zveight: (l-r) Mike Tozvn, physio-altitude was greater than University of Washington; John Bird, R. Allan Baker, Sonoma State University. 11,000 feet (atmospheric pressure Photo Allan Baker. approximately 660 mB). The pendulum was built in the stairwell of the newly constructed South Pole station and as it is not cur rently used, was out of the way of traffic and sheltered from wind and ice. The enclosed stairwell was six stories high, which meant a longer pendulum arm and a greater angu lar momentum, as well as less air re sistance, so that the amplitude of its arc would decay more slowly. Construction on the Foucault Pen dulum began by measuring out 33 metres of guy wire. A hole was drilled through a length of timber through which the pendulum's wire was fixed in such a way that it would have free dom of movement in all directions. The length of timber was then fixed to the top of the stairwell and the wire suspended down the stairwell. At the bottom of the well a 25-kilogram weight was suspended from the wire approximately 5 centimetres off the floor. After waiting for the weight to stop spinning the Foucault Pendulum

Volume 19, No. 2, 2001 133 Antarctic REVIEW W Frank Ponder- From Page 131 A First Rate Tragedy - From Page 129 first rate tragedy ... tragedy was not such a task. The success of this our business". project, and of the works which fol diaries, as well as those of the last The book has a good selection of lowed on the ice, stand testimony to supporting party, are very useful 24 illustrations, is well indexed, and here. This is followed by a discus original thinking and a highly profes effectively referenced for the general sional approach in dealing with the sion of the several factors that led to reader. The adverse aspects are mi forces and burdens to be encountered. the deaths of the polar party (and the nor: the maps are disappointing and Frank Ponder retired in October near loss of the last supporting party have some minor errors, Imperial 1976, and in 1996 published his mem only weeks previously). Compari units of measurement are used with oirs "A Man from the Ministry; tales sons of conditions endured by the out equivalents (now needed to en of a New Zealand Architect". He was explorers, compared with those expe courage young readers for only met present at the Society's 40th Anniver rienced by modern adventurers, are ric ones are taught in schools), and sary celebrations in Christchurch to useful in this regard. the typeface has oddities which inter mark the founding of Scott Base, and The 'Epilogue' is a pertinent sum has been a firm supporter of the So rupt a smooth read. mary of the aftermath of those who I thoroughly recommend A First ciety over the years. survived, of the widows, and the Rate Tragedy for a general understand physical relics of the expedition. The ing of Captain Scott and his Antarc By Bob Norman scientific and geographical contribu tic expeditions. tions made were major, and many Bob Norman is a Former Commis remain of great importance, but the sioner of Works and the last Chairman of Bob Headland is Archivist at the Scott the Ross Dependency Research Commit epilogue does not describe these in Polar Research Institute at Cambridge, tee. Among many other activities, he is any detail. The book finishes very England, and has made many trips to appropriately with Cherry-Garrard's Antarctica. In 1989 he published the de currently a Patron of the New Zealand observations on behalf of his dead Antarctic Heritage Trust. finitive tome "Chronological List of Ant comrades "... though we achieved a arctic Expeditions and Related Histori cal Events." MEMBERSHIP

The New Zealand Antarctic Soci You are invited to join - please write Send Subscriptions to Antarctic: ety Inc was formed in 1933. It com to: National Secretary, P O Box 404 P O Box 404, prises New Zealanders and overseas Christchurch 8015 NEW ZEALAND Christchurch 8015, friends, many of whom have been to Telephone: +64 03) 377 3173 New Zealand. the Antarctic and all of whom are in Facsimile: +64 03) 365 2252 Airmail - terested in some phase of Antarctic [email protected] NZ$50 New Zealand. exploration, history, development or NZ$55 A$40 Australia / South Pacific research. All administrative enquiries, enquir NZ$60, US$32 North America / East ies regarding back issues and Over Asia. A subscription to New Zealand seas Branch enquiries should be NZ$65, £20 Europe. Antarctic Society entitles members directed to the National Secretary. NZ$65, US$35 Worldwide. to: Antarctic which is published each Surface - March, June, September and Decem Auckland Branch Enquiries: NZ$45 New Zealand. ber. It is unique in Antarctic literature Graham White, NZ$55, US$30 North America / East Asia. as it is the only periodical which pro 2/204 Riddell Road, vides regular and up to date news of NZ$60, £18 Europe. Glendowie, NZ$65,US$35 Worldwide. the activities of all nations at work in Auckland. How To Advertise: the Antarctic and Sub-antarctic. It has Advertising Rates: worldwide circulation. Wellington Branch Enquiries: Full Page Colour NZ$700 Secretary, Half Page Colour NZ$400 Members also receive a regular New Zealand Antarctic Society Inc, Full Page Black / White NZ$300 newsletter called Polar Whispers, an PO Box 2110, Half Page Black / White NZ$250 annual Polar Log, which records the Wellington 6000. I n s e r t s N Z $ 3 0 0 decisions made by the Society's Situations Vacant (20 lines) NZ$50 Council at it's AGM, catalogues of the Canterbury Branch Enquiries: Advertising Enquiries: Society's mail-order bookshop "The Secretary, Advertising Manager Polar Bookshop' and occasional bro New Zealand Antarctic Society, P O Box 2369, Christchurch 8015 chures from the Society's 'Sales Stall'. P O Box 404, New Zealand. Occasional meetings are held by the Christchurch 8015. Telephone: +64 (03) 365 0344 Facsimile: +64 (03) 365 4255 Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago branches. Otago Branch Enquiries: Deadline - 20th of preceding month. Ron Topping, 4 Tweed Street, Mosgiel. 134 Volume 19, No. 2,2001 Mission Antarctic Rubbish Mission Antarctica, a British non-government group set up small particles bind together into clumps large enough to be re through multinational sponsorship in the 1990s to help remove moved by a filter. But the only one that worked was a synthetic, waste material from Antarctica, has been assisting the Russian positively (cationic) flocculent belonging to a group of chemicals national programme to clean up Bellingshausen station on King that is known to be toxic to marine animals. "They clog up the George Island. This year plans to ship 1,000 tonnes of waste out gills of fish", says Northcott. of the station to Uruguay for recycling were thwarted by a "tem Anionic flocculents, which should be environmentally benign, porary funding shortfall", leaving the group unable to secure the also failed to work. Northcott suspects that many of the parti Russian registered ship Bashmakov. Since then Mission Antarc cles in the run-off are actually pieces of organic matter, which tica has secured the Anne Boyle as its rubbish carrier, sailing un can only be removed using cationic cleaners. der the Danish flag. "It's quite amazing. Organic material in Antarctic soil is usu For some years Mission Antarctica has provided resources that have enabled additional staff from the Russian programme to be ally non-existent," says Northcott. She suspects that kitchen scraps, wood and other organic material thrown on the tip are employed for the Bellingshausen clean up, allowing large pieces of metal to be cut into manageable sizes and waste oil from rusty being broken down by intense U V radiation, turning parts of the waste dumps into compost heaps. Preliminary tests have shown barrels to be transferred to new plastic containers for shipping. that soil beneath the tip is up to 18 % carbon, suggesting the pres In 1999 Mission Antarctica purchased the 22m yacht 2041 and ence of large amounts of organic matter. after refurbishment, sailed it to Bellingshausen in early 2000, a Northcott told a recent conference that a consortium of scien trip marred by the unfortunate death of a diabetic crew member tists hope to try another clean-up of the Thala Valley in 2002. (see Antarctic, Vol. 18,3&4, p. 56, Vol. 19,1, p. 95). However, the They plan to test other cationic flocculents that are safe for fish, group's long term plan was to charter a larger ship such as the such as one based on chitin, as well as a range of other tech Bashmakov. Mission Antarctica planned several voyages south this season. The first in lanuary 2002 was to be a "purely work niques for removing particles. ing voyage" to recover as much rubbish as possible with the help "Thala Valley is the smallest waste disposal that Australia has of a "waste management expert". responsibility for" sad Northcott. "Across the bay, there's one that's 10 times as big, and they don't dare touch it until we've The project is also reported to include short educational trips over the summer involving up to sixty student and teachers se perfected the technology". (Based in part on an article in the New lected from some 850 schools around the world that are affili Scientist) ated with the International Baccalaureate Organisation. The cost of participation for schools was put at a minimum of $US400 for clothing, educational kits, travel insurance and personal expenses. Mission Antarctica said that it was "finding sponsors" to cover air fares and other costs for those involved. Recent reports indicate that the 2041 left Cape Town 31 Octo ber on its first voyage to Bellingshausen, and arrived at Stanley 28 November. Meanwhile, the Anne Boyle left England on 3 No vember carrying in its holds two JCB tractors, a uniflote pon toon, a 250 hp work boat/tug, and 10 eight cubic metre skips. The vessel is due to reach Stanley during the first week in De cember. NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM The Bellingshausen rubbish problem is not the only one in Antarctica. After a century of rubbish dumping by explorers, researchers and national programmes, over 70 waste tips litter The Russian Bellingshausen Station on King George Island. the Antarctic. Conscious of this, around 30 countries working in Photo: Mission Antarctica. the Antarctic supported the Madrid Protocol by agreeing to clean up the dumps and protect the environment. To dispose of the waste on site would mean importing huge amounts of polluting fuel and equipment. Sometimes, as in Win ter's Quarters Bay, McMurdo Sound, the polluted area is so sen sitive, in this case the bottom of the sea, that the best policy has been to leave it alone rather than stir it up. On land the original plan is to scoop up the rubbish and ship it out. However, one attempt to move material from the Thala Valley tip near Austral ia's Casey Station made the problem worse by flushing heavy metals into the ocean. Australian researchers, who are drawing up plans for a sec ond go at the problem, think that the toxic metals in the run-off water from the dumps are bound to tiny waterborne particles. During the last Antarctic summer, Kathy Northcott, University of Melbourne and Ian Snape, Australian Antarctic Division tested different ways to filter out the metal-laden particles from the run One of the JCB tractors about to be loaded onto the Anne off. First they tried flocculent - chemicals that should make the Boyle. Photo: Mission Antarctica.